"Eh?!"
Elder Seventy-One, his cheeks covered in black whiskers, froze for a moment, thinking he had misheard:
"The Grand Elder is dead? That can't be possible, can it?"
"Weren't there only ten demons invading?"
"It's absolutely true." Chen Yan spoke faster, his expression growing increasingly grim. "Although there were indeed only ten demons, their strength cannot be underestimated!"
"Especially that greater demon in crimson armor—he had simultaneously received power from seven Demon Gods!"
"The Grand Elder had only just arrived at the battlefield and hadn't even managed to say two words before that greater demon stomped him to death, grinding him into paste!!"
"Th-the Grand Elder was killed in an instant?" Elder Seventy-One stared wide-eyed, his voice unconsciously beginning to stammer. "He was the strongest fighter among our Seventeen Star Districts..."
"Those demons seem unafraid of items containing Sacred power. The one I faced even crushed my Perfect Quality jade pendant with his bare hand!" Chen Yan hurriedly added.
At this, suspicion appeared in Elder Seventy-One's eyes.
As though he were seeing Chen Yan for the first time, he silently stepped back half a pace and carefully scrutinized him from head to toe before asking hesitantly:
"Since those demons are so powerful that even the Grand Elder failed to escape disaster, how did you get out?"
"You headed to the front line much earlier than the Grand Elder..."
"I..." Chen Yan's face paled slightly. Without any intention of concealing it, he said bluntly, "Against enemies like that, there was no way I could have escaped."
"Those greater demons let me go..."
"What?" Elder Seventy-One's eyes widened as his entire body immediately tensed with vigilance. "Don't tell me you're planning to help the demons set us up?!"
"No, Elder Seventy-One..." Chen Yan explained with a bitter smile. "Those greater demons made